Obama, McCain argue over war, taxes in 1st debate

By BETH FOUHY
The Associated Press
OXFORD – John McCain accused Barack Obama of compiling “the most liberal voting record in the United States Senate” Friday night in their first debate of a close campaign for the White House. The Democrat shot back, “Mostly that’s just me opposing George Bush’s wrong-headed policies.”
Obama said his Republican rival has [...]

Everything is nice

Behind the media tent are some standard-looking portable restrooms for everybody in the secured area.
But take a look at the inside of the Women’s restroom – very swanky. All the female media people I’ve talked with nearby think it’s great, very impressive.
- Patsy R. Brumfield

Candidates in photos …

Some shots of the candidates on the way to Oxford …

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., steps off the plane in Memphis, Tenn., Friday, Sept. 26, 2008. Republican presidential candidate John McCain has agreed to attend the first presidential debate with Obama later Friday night though Congress hasn’t yet reached have a bailout deal [...]

McCain seeks to delay debate to focus on economy

Republican John McCain says he’s directing his staff to work with Barack Obama’s campaign and the debate commission to delay Friday’s debate because of the economic crisis.
- Click here for more on this story.

What others are saying …

The Weekly Standard – Will the Debates Move the Polls?
The Sleuth – James Meredith Bails On Ole Miss Debate
Campaign U:Hosting a Presidential debate
The Chancellor’s Blog – Ole Miss is ready for the World
NPR:Site Of Presidential Debate Has Come Far From Past

Q&A: McCain, Obama on Iraq, Iran, Putin

The Associated Press
Foreign policy will the subject when Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama meet in their first presidential debate. Both covered some of the same ground during their primary-season debates. A look at what they’ve said on Iraq, Iran and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin:

In debates, McCain has pleased or seethed

By JIM KUHNHENN
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON – The coming debates are John McCain’s high wire act.
For better and for worse, he’s been at these altitudes before.
In debates during his current presidential run and in his ill-fated 2000 campaign, McCain managed to disarm crowds with humor, embrace questioners with empathy or slice his foes with undisguised contempt.
Few [...]

Which Obama will show up for presidential debates?

By CHRISTOPHER WILLS
The Associated Press
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Which Barack Obama will show up for the first presidential debate?
It could be the tone-deaf debater who condescendingly told Hillary Rodham Clinton during a Democratic debate that she was “likable enough.”
Or perhaps the confident candidate who absorbed a jab from Clinton about using her husband’s former advisers and [...]